


"Decorum" of the Fae

by orcsmoocher



Category: Nightbound (Visual Novel)
Genre: 8000 words what the fuck, Anal Sex, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, God this is so long, M/M, Pole Dancing, Rough Sex, Sex, Shameless Smut, Shower Sex, Some Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:20:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25210780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orcsmoocher/pseuds/orcsmoocher
Summary: This is an obscenely long smutfic that I wrote a while ago (All the way back in March!) as sex-scene practice. I'd say my skills in writing it are better now, but I'm going to post it anyway because why the fuck not?
Relationships: Nik Ryder/Main Character (Nightbound), Nik Ryder/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	"Decorum" of the Fae

Nik approached the old, ruined cathedral that served as the threshold to the magical Fae world of Lamrian for the first time in many days. In the night air, strange lights danced around the edges of his vision and ethereal, otherworldly sounds tickling his ears. Masses of old, when the cathedral was still new, carried on as if it were still decades ago; simultaneously as whispers and casual goings on of a people in another language went about their daily tasks. It was a sign of the paper-thin border between worlds, a place where time and presence meant little against the blurred lines between Earth and the otherworldly. Trudging up the dilapidated dirt path, Nik pulled the invitation from his pocket. Humans were never allowed into Lamrian unescorted without one. It was a small purple card, scrawled all over in red ink, flowing script instantly recognizable to the Nighthunter.

_ Nik Ryder is cordially invited to Lamrian for as long as he pleases. _

The message, short and sweet as it was, practically gave him free reign over the place. The fact that the signature adorning the card also belonged to the colony's half-Fae Lord put him in a very comfortable position. He could walk in whenever he pleased, bring whomever he wanted with him, and scare away any guardsman who questioned him with a single flash of the cherry red curlicue signature. It was just a little taste of royal privilege, he supposed, even if he never felt the need to bend the rules… yet. For now, it was just a clever little tool he kept in his pocket. 

As he stepped forward to the crumbling arch ways of the once grand church, an armored figure stepped into view. Nik's charm made the man's glamour fall away, revealing a Fae with brown skin and white hair, ears ending in a sharp point. Flashing him a crooked grin, Nik waved the little card in the air. The guardsman nodded.

"Welcome back to Lamrian. M'lord requested your presence, I'm sure," The rotting wooden doors creaked on their hinges as they swung open heavily. "Don't keep him waiting, then."

"Normally I don't like to be too predictable," Nik replied, shaking his head humorously as he stepped inside the ruined chapel. Most of the Fae here knew him on a first-name basis. While he'd usually never abide by this, the realm rarely got human visitors. Many of the Fae were bored, gossip-hungry, and never left the colony, leaving them to marvel at the exotic, rugged creature from another world. When it became clear that he was to be a regular visitor, he was quickly grilled for his name and the relationship he had with the half-Fae sitting on the throne. There were a few Fae who he drank and played cards with, but otherwise he popped in every once in a while to visit his fancy - and him alone. 

Before his eyes, the dark, crumbling visage of the chapel on Earth warped until his vision finally went black. When it returned a scant moment later, he was standing in a familiar throne room. Sweeping his eyes around the elegant Fae-built room, he eventually met the gaze of the red-haired Lady of the house. Stepping forward, Nik nodded his head respectfully, sweeping into a curt bow. "Evenin', Lady Thalissa," he greeted her. She let the papers she was holding float lazily to a small tea table beside her throne, smiling warmly. 

"Good evening, Nik Ryder. Have you come to visit my stepson?" 

"I have." 

"He's in his private quarters. Have a lovely rest of your night, Nik." She motioned to the hallway that led to the living areas for the blue-bloods in the colony. Nik bid her farewell, waving slightly. His heavy leather boots echoed against the marble flooring, contrasting heavily against the light clicking of the noblewomen's heels. The hallway was long and wide, heavy wooden double doors every few meters leading to each of the noblemen's rooms. Portraits of Fae from past and present gazed down on their residents with neutral expressions, and abstract art was painted directly onto the floor tiling. Nik saw a flock of short Fae women spill out of one of the rooms, giggling up a storm. Their sparkling dresses gave them the appearance of jeweled birds, long hair in all sorts of colors and complicated weaves that matched the thick makeup coating their faces. As he passed they looked over him with wide eyes filled with wonder, huddling into a tight clump to whisper amongst themselves in the Fae tongue. They followed him for several meters, the rest trying to shove a shy-looking girl forward to fall into step with him, before he heard another peal of laughter that eventually faded away into the distance. At the end of the hall, he stepped through a stained glass door into a stairwell. Ascending to its third floor two steps at a time, he passed by servants and residents alike - severe-looking Fae men going to their cutthroat midnight business meetings, scampering children holding bags of cloth and soap, sagely old men and women who descended to the gardens every night to watch the stars, and prima donnas dressed to the nines who scoffed at Nik’s wrinkled clothing. 

Finally, at the very end of the hall on the third floor, lay the private quarters that the new lord had claimed. It was much larger than the others, its grand entrance over twice as wide and elegantly decorated with images of golden leaves, flowers, fruit, and insects. On the right door’s corner was a small hole, a square of green fabric draped over it, a paw print embroidered into it in white thread - Oracle’s kitty door. Tables chock-full of potted plants flanked either side of the entrance, glowing blossoms and tiny berry bushes emanating a sickly sweet scent that permeated throughout the space. Butterflies and honeybees alike fluttered drunkenly through a window that never closed to enjoy the decadent meals laid out for them. The slight night breeze pushed the silken curtains gently, beaded tassels rubbing together to make a pleasant, rhythmic ticking sound of wood against wood. Nik grabbed the golden door knocker, its handle smooth and carved into the shape of a dragon, giving the wood two firm knocks, waiting a moment before inserting his copy of the key into the lock and turning it with a satisfying click. 

Nik shoved the heavy doors aside, quickly stepping past the threshold and kicking his boots off into a blue cloth mat laid out on the floor just inside. His bare socks slipped slightly against the perfectly polished marble as he passed a fully-stocked vanity of jewelry, silken accessories, and some scattered makeup bottles here and there - the lord didn't wear much, restricting himself only to a few powders or foundations to touch up what was necessary. On the far end of the room beside the door to the walk-in closet, a simple metal pole stretched from floor to ceiling, surrounded by a nest of colorful blankets and throw pillows organized in a loose, yet purposeful fashion. Steam billowed from the crack between a sheer white bathroom door, a creamy scent of coffee and milk wafting from it as the gentle, muffled sound of running water reached his ears. The half-Fae made his own soaps, perfumed with the creature comforts he enjoyed in the human realm to stay connected with his roots. Last time he visited, they had taken a bath together; and he had made a gentle scrub made out of bayou wildflowers for the occasion.

While he was in the shower, Nik had nothing to do but kill time. He traveled to the wall opposite the bathroom, where a trellis of crawling vines drank the moonlight from an adjacent window greedily. They coiled around every surface they could reach, even reaching the ceiling and hanging off light fixtures. These, too, were covered in blossoms - tiny white flowers as uncountable as the night sky, their magical petals shaking. Nik grabbed a small ceramic watering can, filling it with sparkling clear water from the nearby basin. The running water from the bathroom stopped as Nik began to wet the soil, a figure wrapped in a soft purple towel stepping out.

A brief look of surprise crossed the half-Fae's face as he blotted a smaller towel on his face and hair. His lips parted slightly, their corners quirking up in a smile, his deep brown eyes staring at the guest who had his back turned. The long, dirty leather jacket and messy brown hair gave no ambiguity as to who it could be. "Nik, darling, what a surprise," his voice was warm and soft, projected through the air with a practiced grace. Nik whirled around to face him. 

"Celeste," He breathed, happy to see the face he hadn't laid eyes on for weeks. For a moment he stood slack-jawed as if he were seeing Celeste for the first time - inwardly cursing the feeling of longing that suddenly struck him silent. It was only a few weeks, but he was used to the half-Fae being stuck by his side, whether they were out on a job or at his apartment relaxing - not seeing him once in a blue moon when their busy schedules happened to align. He always considered himself a lone wolf, through-and-through… but the company was nice. Very nice - so nice, in fact, that despite all of his attempts to convince himself otherwise, he was irreversibly stuck with a craving for it. They were a disaster when they first met; two opposites forced together because of a job, each loathing the actions of the other as they lashed out at the dire circumstances they found themselves in. However, through it all Celeste broke down the walls he built around himself like a bulldozer through an old barn. Now he was damn proud to call Celeste a partner - both on the job and not.

Nik not only stared in the reverence of seeing a lover after a long time apart, but he was also struck starry-eyed by the half-Fae's elegant figure, the towel he draped across his body leaving little to the imagination. Celeste actually stood a solid six inches taller than Nik (though he staunchly maintained that it was not him that was short, but it was actually Celeste who was inhumanly tall) and while he was comparatively scrawny, there was plenty of toned muscle packed into his long and willowy figure. Water dripped down his wet skin in rivulets, travelling along the gentle curves of his body until they stopped at the towel wrapped around the wide hips that supported a pair of tantalizingly thick thighs and tapered, lithe calves. Aside from a jagged, silver-colored scar that ran from his sternum to his navel, his soft skin was completely unmarred, the pale creamy-colored flesh smelling of a tall mug of sweet coffee. The long black hair on the top of his head, usually pulled back in a neat bun, cascaded over the cropped sides like a one-sided waterfall.

"Sorry you had to see me  _ indecent _ ," Celeste said coyly, placing a knowing emphasis on indecent as Nik continued to stare. “Sit down while I dress.”

Nik obeyed, pouring the last of the water in his hands into the flower trough and crossing the floor to the grand four-poster bed in the middle of the room. Various art supplies were scattered on the mattress, the comforter and pillows haphazardly shoved to one end while a canvas and piles of paint bottles were stacked on the other. “You don’t need to dress,” He said with a lopsided grin, carefully lowering himself on the edge of the mattress. He plucked a chocolate from a shallow pearl dish on the nightstand, popping it into his mouth as he made himself comfortable. As he sat, the faint smell of Celeste’s flowery soaps wafted into his nostrils, with undertones of his natural scent. It was something he missed dearly, especially in the modest apartment they once shared.

“We haven’t slept together for a while,” Celeste noted.

“Long time.” 

“I just showered,” Celeste observed plainly. “Sex would mean working up a sweat.” 

“You’ve never been afraid to get dirty,” Nik joked with a shrug of his shoulders. “I can just enjoy lookin’ at you. We don’t have to do anything if you want.”

Celeste smiled, wringing out his hair in the small face cloth he held in his hand. “Okay,” He replied, unwrapping the towel from his waist. He used it to blot off the last of the moisture covering his body, tossing it haphazardly into a wicker clothes basket in front of his closet door. Nik sighed, raking his eyes up and down Celeste’s figure, appreciating every immaculate inch from the way his lips curved up in a soft smile to the carefully groomed hair between his legs. “If I would have known you were coming, I would have prettied myself up more.”

“I don’t see how you could have, Rook.” Nik scoffed, beckoning him over. “You’re damn beautiful, just like always.”

“Flatterer,” Celeste laughed, his smile dropping slightly; though he didn’t let it fade. He stepped lightly across the marble tile, making barely a sound with each long stride. Each step was elegant and methodical, much unlike when he first arrived in New Orleans. The Celeste he once knew was… well, to put it barbarically, ‘ _ normal _ ’. He always had a sort of theatrical element in how he carried himself, being a dancer who once relied on seduction for money, but he never had this pressure on his shoulders to maintain such a royal image. He still felt like himself, of course, but the extra effort he had to put forth for the benefit of his position in Lamrian was so tiring. Seeing Nik again simultaneously lightened and weighted his heart - on one hand, with Nik he felt truly comfortable, but on the other his presence awakened his wish of returning to that semblance of  _ normalcy, _ where he could stumble into the downstairs bar in his pyjamas if he wanted to, and not have to worry about countless eyes judging his every move.

“So… painting, huh?” Nik asked, sensing Celeste’s tension. Celeste nodded, crawling onto the massive bed and sitting on his knees in front of the canvas. 

“I’m not being taught this,” Celeste answered somberly. “I take my freedoms when I can.” Celeste took a few brushes from a cloth bag and shoved them into Nik’s hands. “We’re both clueless, so join me.”

Nik shrugged off his jacket. “I feel overdressed for the occasion…” Celeste couldn’t help but chuckle, cheeks heating up slightly as he watched Nik strip for him. Nik’s back muscles flexed as he pulled his shirt over his head, thick brown hair covering his unshaved chest and arms. Soon enough, his clothes were but a pile on the floor. “There we go.” Celeste took a good look at the body he’d missed. Nik was broad and bulky, but without the physique of a bodybuilder. Instead, his body was packed with working muscle - strong, yet unsculpted; leaving pockets of healthy, fatty softness in places that were heavenly to the touch. His body was rugged and scarred, his previous accomplishments and years marked on him like rings on a tree. His skin smelled of sweat, his favorite cologne, and the slight tinge of alcohol; a musk which Celeste had quickly associated with comfort and protection after years with him at his side. Looking over the canvas, Nik threw an arm over Celeste’s shoulder, his hot skin meeting the cool dampness of his partner. “So, what are we painting?”

Celeste shrugged. “I want it to look nice, but that’s all the ideas I have.” 

“Well, if I’ve learned anything from guarding rich people’s art galleries, it’s that abstract nonsense sells,” Nik said, grabbing colors from the pile at random. “So let’s start with these and see where it goes.”

With a laugh, Celeste analyzed his color choice. “With all due respect, these would be hideous together…” After swapping some of the bottles around, they got to work. Celeste knitted his eyebrows together, placing strokes after a great amount of thought while Nik tried to compliment his obviously purposeful placement without asking for advice. Celeste bent over the canvas on all fours as he reached for the far end, eyes locked in a sort of intense focus. Nik's gaze, however, began to wander to the sinuous body in front of him, wishing he could touch it, caress it… and in his daydream he wasn't paying attention to where his brush was going. "Oh," He heard Celeste gasp lightly, shaking him out of his thoughts. A blue streak of paint ran from Celeste's forearm to the back of his hand.

"Sorry," Nik said with a chuckle. "Just got a little… distracted by the sights, is all."

"You have such a one-track mind, Nik Ryder," Celeste teased, flashing him a wide grin. He dragged one final stroke across the canvas' surface, filling it with a myriad of blues and purples, vague shapes of black birds fluttering through the winding brush strokes. “...But so do I.” His eyes slowly slid to Nik, darkening with desire, and he brought the brush in his hands to Nik's chest, dragging it in a smooth line down the rugged, hard planes of his muscle. "I think I'm reconsidering. It'd be an honor to have you in my bed tonight, if you'll have me." 

"You know I can't say no to that," Nik replied, quickly sweeping Celeste close and capturing him into a long, sweet kiss. He wrapped his arms tightly around the half-Fae, as if he was going to disappear if he let go. "I like it when you talk royal to me," he murmured, pulling away to gaze into the deep, dark pools of Celeste's eyes. "It suits you."

"It still feels like I'm playing pretend," Celeste whispered, a ghost of pain crossing his features. "I didn't think I'd ever miss the simpler days when I was being hunted like a game animal, but here we are…" As they embraced tighter, they smeared paint between their bodies, joining in a streak of deep blue-black; the color of the night sky. "Kiss me, Nik."

Nik gladly obliged, mouth moving gently, tongue swiping Celeste's lower lip. His kisses were deep, long, and saccharinely sweet. Not typically his style - he'd have ravished him six ways to Sunday by now - but Celeste was a total romantic despite his previous occupation. A firm believer in soul mates, Celeste liked his nights with his special partners to be  _ special _ , and anything less would just feel like work, like he wasn't giving his partners the care that they deserved. Though there was value in dragging it out with a long night of cuddles and sweet talk, Nik supposed, he was acutely aware that his partner also had a wild side that didn't show itself very often. Mostly from…  _ colorful _ stories told by his friend recounting his college days. Celeste was an enigma, a soft-hearted cuddlebug in one moment and a raucous party animal the next, but that sort of unpredictability was nice; especially since Nik thoroughly enjoyed both outcomes. He heard a cute sigh flutter out of the half-Fae's lips as he rubbed his calloused hands up and down Celeste's damp back, further coloring his skin with acrylic. "Let's move this to your nest - all the paints are in the way." Celeste murmured a quiet  _ okay _ , obediently wrapping his long legs around Nik's waist as the Nighthunter scooped him up. His hands securely grasped Celeste's thighs, fingers sinking into silky-soft skin wrapped around deceptively firm muscle.

Celeste let out a long breath, feeling Nik's hands tantalizingly close to his backside. Nik carried him across the room, his shorter frame comically small next to Celeste's much taller one, and lowered him gently into the pile of supple fabric that was placed around the dancer's pole. Nik eyed the carved wooden box that sat just outside the circle of throw pillows, secured with a delicate silver lock. It usually just held more of Celeste's silks and accessories, but it had a false bottom where he kept his raunchier toys. Most of these were simply tools to help him pleasure himself when he was alone, but there were a few exceptions. "One sec," Nik said, laying the half-Fae down in the nest of pillows as he felt around underneath the blankets for something. Finally his fingers wrapped around a small metal object, pulling it out to reveal a silver key inlaid with decorative gemstones. 

Celeste watched, eyes half-lidded and patient, though his hands did travel up and down his body at an agonizingly slow pace, focused on teasing the area between his legs; idly playing with himself as Nik crawled to the box and began to dig through it. Nik grabbed several items, presenting them with a flourish - a bundle of ribbon strands, a light craft chain attached to a leather collar, and a bottle of scented, pink-tinted gel. Each item was associated with a few of their favorite uses and games for them. "Which do you wanna do first, Rook?"

Celeste smiled and sat up, grabbing the pole with both hands and leaning his cheek against it. "We may as well start with a dance. Sit back and relax…" he answered, letting Nik fasten the collar around his neck, rising to his feet as the Nighthunter settled in holding the end of the long chain. Celeste began his routine by swaying in place for a few moments, preparing himself while shimmying his hips from side to side. The light chain tinkled with every movement, slack of it dragging across the floor, pulled back slightly when Celeste tipped his head back to expose the sleek black choker wrapped around his neck. He continued, torso rippling in a long, sinuous roll; lowering his body slowly until he descended into a deep squat, thrusting his pelvis forward as he grabbed the pole behind him with both hands above his head and arched his back against the metal. Pulling himself up into a standing position with little effort, Celeste swayed in place for a moment to gauge the reaction of his one-man audience. Nik let out a sharp wolf whistle, tugging on the end of the chain lightly. Celeste grinned, arousal stirring once again in his belly as he saw how his partner's cheeks were flushed with growing excitement, skin tacky with a sheen of sweat. Celeste grabbed a section of chain close to his collar and tugged it harshly, pulling it tight - not enough to choke, but enough to put an enticing pressure on his neck. He heard Nik's gasp sync up with his own, his free hand traveling up and down his body as he swung his hips, swiveling on his heels. He let himself moan as he ground his body against the cool metal like an animal in rut, wallowing in the reaction he was garnering.

He began his routine in earnest, grabbing the pole with one hand and using it to pivot around once, twice, three times before doing the same in the opposite direction to untangle the chain. Returning to his starting point, Celeste lifted his leg to wrap it around the metal, swiftly pulling himself up gracefully. He let go, the pole clenched firmly between his thighs, bending backwards until he was able to look Nik in the eyes and reach towards him with splayed fingers. With a grin, Nik tugged the chain as a sign for him to go faster. Celeste grinned, his core muscles burning with effort as he performed act after act of gymnastic prowess, revealing his titular flexibility that almost made the bones ache just looking at. He used the chain to playfully add a sense of danger, wrapping himself in it, methodically entangling himself in a way where it looked as if he was trapped, but he could still move freely and get out at any time. It was a common performance at his old club, and Nik loved playing with restraints - so naturally, it's what he practiced the most. Finally, he wound down his performance, wrapping legs around the pole that were spread outwards in a perfect split just seconds before. He slid down gently, alighting on the floor without a single sound as he dismounted. With an exaggerated flourish, he lowered himself into a deep bow and smiled. Nik let out another long whistle, pulling the chain to beckon him over. Grinning, Celeste sat down, entangling his nude body in Nik's lap, looking down at the Nighthunter with shining eyes as he fiddled with his collar. "Did I do good?" He asked, breathing slightly heavier but otherwise unbothered by the exercise. Nik grabbed both sides of the half-Fae’s head firmly in his rough-skinned hands and captured him in a heavy kiss in response. 

“You drive me crazy, Rook,” Nik mumbled as they separated breathlessly, voice rough and low. He gathered the chain in his hands, shortening the lead so that Celeste couldn’t pull away- not that he’d planned on doing so, leaning in to meet Nik’s lips instead. The half-Fae’s soft hands moved with experience, pushing Nik’s buttons so efficiently that he was having increasing trouble holding himself back. His pace became faster, more desperate; crushing Celeste’s body against his in order to feel the entire expanse of the half-Fae’s pale, velvety skin. “I want all of you.” 

“Then have me,” Celeste purred, unhooking the buckle on his collar and tossing it away. “I’m yours…” 

“Lay down,” Nik ordered, forcing himself to pull away as he grabbed the final two items that he’d brought from Celeste’s toybox. Celeste laid flat on his back, lifting his legs up and apart deliciously. Hurriedly, Nik grabbed the half-Fae’s wrists and wrenched them above his head, fixing Celeste with a questioning look in his eyes. When he got the nod of the head he was looking for, he tied the half-Fae's wrists up tightly with the ribbon and used the rest to lash him to the dancer's pole. Normally Celeste hated being restrained, but occasionally he indulged in Nik's particular proclivities. "Just look at you, Celeste. You're so damn beautiful," He ran his fingertips along the underside of Celeste's jaw, drinking in the sights. Leaning in, he placed eager kisses up and down the half-Fae’s body, trailing from the sensitive curve where neck met shoulder to the curve of his hip bone, soliciting shivers from the body underneath him. “Let me make sure you’re good n’ ready, Rook.”

Nik climbed on top of him as he took the bottle of gel and squeezed a few fingerfuls into his hand. Celeste gasped sharply, feeling Nik's fingers enter him one at a time, the feeling of the ice-cold gel shocking his tender flesh from the inside out. His breath grew ragged, squirming against the slight stinging feeling as he was gently stretched out. Nik repeated the procedure several more times, pushing in a little faster and harder each time as the half-Fae moaned helplessly. Celeste arched his back, further pressing their bodies together and sending buzzing electricity through their nervous systems where their bare skin met. "Ah, Nik..." Celeste sighed, cut off by Nik capturing him in a kiss, their mouths moving together in a frenzy. Nik's rough hands raked up and down his sides and hips, finally moving to connect their bodies as one, the two gasping against the other's lips as he set a pace which Celeste met readily. The quiet air in the room was split with the sounds of their gasps and cries, neither paying any mind to the denizens in the rooms next to theirs. "Don't stop, Nik!"

"Never," Nik grunted, grabbing Celeste's bucking hips tight as the half-Fae's hands clenched into tight fists, somehow conscious enough to carefully avoid scratching his palms with his manicured nails despite the heady fog that muddled both of their thoughts. Their ragged moans reached a crescendo, vision dotted with stars as their arousal reached their respective toe-curling peaks. Celeste wrapped his legs so tightly around his partner his muscles began to ache, crushing their bodies together as he let himself be tipped over the edge and consumed by it. Nik slumped to the blanketed floor when the half-Fae finally released him from his death grip, panting. He was certainly ready to take a quick fourteen hour nap after that… while clumsily untying the ribbons that bound his partner, Nik tangled himself up in the half-Fae’s limbs as his eyes drifted closed, Celeste’s head resting on his chest.

An uncountable and thoroughly confusing amount of hours later, Nik groaned and stirred, Celeste still wrapped around him like a feather boa. It was still pitch-black outside, the myriads of stars twinkling aimlessly in their places. The Fae realm's day and night cycles were nearly incomprehensible to a man like Nik - to wake up feeling like he just emerged from hibernation only to see that it was still dark was a greater shock than a damn monster popping out from an alleyway like a boogeyman. At least he had the cheery, warm interior lighting to simulate some kind of facsimile of day time. "Mm," Celeste moaned softly, snuggling closer as his eyes cracked open. "What time is it?"

"Too damn dark," Nik replied, voice rough with unshaken sleep. "We should still be sleeping."

With a snort, Celeste untangled himself from Nik's embrace and sat up. His brown eyes flicked to the moon-shaped clock on the wall. There were still quite a few hours to go until the sun would show itself. He shivered, running his hands up and down his arms. A slight breeze filtered in through the open window just outside of the door, causing his skin to break out into goosebumps as the thin sheen of sweat coating his body cooled. The heady scents of each of their bodies mingled and pervaded his senses, the unmistakable odor of fresh sex. It was invigoratingly delicious in the moment, but after the deed was done it provided no such pleasure. Reaching a hand to his hair, he gently combed it through with his fingers to smooth out the tangles. "I need a shower," He mumbled sleepily, brown eyes lazily gliding over the prone form of his partner. "So do you." 

Nik grinned crookedly. "Is that an invitation?" He asked, pulling Celeste down so that he was lying on top of him. The half-Fae rolled his eyes as he leaned in, meeting Nik's lips with his for a brief moment before separating. “When’d you get so squeamish about getting down and dirty, Rook?” Celeste playfully stuck his tongue out at him, drawing himself up to a standing position and crossing the room to his walk-in closet. Throwing the doors open, revealing rows on rows of sumptuous silks and formal suits. His Fae finery was hung on the rightmost wall, while his human attire was folded neatly and tucked into wooden square shelves. He picked out a bundle of woolen towels and a simple outfit - a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. From behind the door he peeked, narrowing his eyes at Nik as he pulled a long, baggy bathrobe from a hanger. 

"You're not putting on those filthy clothes back on after you shower," Celeste said, balling up the robe in his hands and throwing it at Nik as he climbed to his feet. "And that means I get to dress you tonight."

“‘Long as it isn’t frilly.” Nik replied, wrapping the robe around himself loosely. It was much too long, the hem dragging along the floor like a fluffy wedding gown, but it covered him nonetheless. He followed the half-Fae through the pearl-white door into the bathroom, watching sleepily as his partner grabbed armfuls of soap bottles out of a white wooden cabinet with incredible speed, a ritual that he obviously carried out nightly. The room was still humid from his last use of the room hours ago, a stubborn fog still clinging to the silver-framed full length mirror and the smooth marble surfaces of the bathroom counters. The porcelain tile floor was cool to the touch and slightly slippery, a wool mat placed at the foot of the shower to absorb stray water and provide grip. Off to the side was a frosted glass door that led to the toilet, a small room that also held items such as spare cleaning supplies and toiletries. What was called a shower could also be referred to as a room all its own - it was a cube that took up half the space, with a floor of rustic grey stone tile and wooden sauna panels made of some lilac-fleshed Fae tree on its interior walls. The entire front was a sliding glass panel, images of blue and green-colored vines painted on each layer of the pressed glass panes. Foliage of the same color was drawn on each of the shower's interior walls. Whether or not it was Celeste's design decision or the Fae's, Nik didn't know - they both were equally obsessed with plants. A series of thin grates placed into the ceiling were where the water fell to simulate natural rain, with two wider ones on the ends that were merely slits to create a higher-pressure waterfall. Seats of sleek polished stone lined the interior walls, but naturally many of these became extra storage space for soaps once Celeste had chosen his favorite spot. 

"What's the scent for today?" Nik asked, leaning over Celeste's shoulders to peek at the bottles cradled in his arms. He caught a distant whiff of the smell of the scrub Celeste had used earlier that night, cloyingly sweet with the bitter edge of ground coffee. Was it a coffee house from New Orleans that he was trying to capture the essence of, or one from back home in New York? It certainly wasn't any brew that Nik ever made for him - too much cream, and not enough whiskey. "I really like this one you're smellin' of right now…" 

With a light laugh, Celeste slid the shower door open with his foot. "I figured you'd like something a little more… I don't know - manly." 

"Rugged monster hunters like smelling nice sometimes," Nik retorted, "In fact, I even started spending a hot minute picking out washes I like at the store because of you."

"I'm glad my hygiene habits are finally beginning to rub off on you," Celeste teased. "Maybe one of these days you'll show up to the palace clean for once?"

"Don't hold your breath,  _ darling _ . When I come to visit you after a job, I'm not making extra stops." Nik snorted, shaking his head and rolling his eyes in mock offense as he disrobed and followed Celeste into the large chamber. The half-Fae flicked his fingers with a flourish, a golden light enveloping their tips. In an instant, gentle trickles of water poured out of the grates in the ceiling, slowly increasing in volume until it made for a decent shower, steam rising in delicate plumes. It was a nice little trick, the 'magic operated shower', but in reality the handle was less than a foot away where he was standing - he was just showing off. Nik stepped into the warm rain, stretching his tired muscles as streams of liquid flowed down his chest and back. He cracked an eye open after his stretch, noticing that he was being stared at; his audience's lips ticked up in a coy smile. 

"Before we wash up, we can play again," The half-Fae cooed knowingly. His eyes focused intently on Nik's features, raking up and down his nude body. He began to pace around the Nighthunter, circling him like a shark as he was clearly deciding on something, his eyes sparkling with a growing amount of mischief that Nik knew the meaning of acutely. "Let me tell you what I  _ really _ want…" He stepped forward, his long stride carrying him so that he was mere inches away in a single step, angling his head down so that he was looking into Nik's deep brown eyes. "You joke about me not wanting to get dirty, but I want us to take turns out in the wilderness somewhere, on the job - I want it to be primal. Savage," He grinned wide, a strange predatory sparkle in his eyes. "Dangerous, even. Let's do it in the dens of sleeping werewolves, in the chambers of a vampire's lair, and on the bed of the Fate. Hell, after we kill a beast let's dance covered in mud and guts."

"I think I was with you until that last part." 

"Your body says otherwise…" Celeste purred into Nik's ear, the Nighthunter's breath hitching as he felt himself stiffen under the half-Fae's touch. He felt his cheeks heat up, hands that weren't his traveling lower and lower to squeeze his backside, to tease between his legs. He was now fully awake, a burning desire rekindling itself in his belly. "Truth is, darling, I don't want dirty - I want  _ filthy _ . I like being 'clean', but when I'm hunting monsters with you, you drive me crazy. Think of it as… mixing business and pleasure," Celeste parted his lips, raking his tongue along Nik's jaw, licking up sweet water as he traveled upwards. "Sometimes when we hunted together, I'd sit back and watch because you putting a monster down just made me a little hot and bothered," Every word had Nik aching to touch and be touched, moaning as Celeste drew his earlobe between his teeth and bit, scraping the sensitive skin and causing a spike of pain that quickly dissolved into a delightful mix of pleasure. They’d often talked about their most wild fantasies in the context of harmless pillow talk, neither really expecting the other to take action on it. This one was evidently one he was saving for a pivotal moment, or perhaps it was never meant to see the light. "Mm, just imagine it. You're the hunter and I'm your prey…" Celeste angled his head down, groaning as Nik thrust his hands forward to grope the half-Fae's body. He nipped more of Nik's skin, biting the sides of his neck and the curves of his shoulders, leaving small red marks that faded within the minute. Finally, he returned to Nik's ear, hot breath lingering as he parted his lips to whisper. "I've been a bad monster. Punish me."

Nik let out a strangled growl from deep in his throat as he moved suddenly, as if something keeping his inhibitions in place within him snapped. Water cascaded down their bodies, accentuating the slopes and curves of the half-Fae's snake-hipped figure, only serving to make Nik desire him that much more. He roughly shoved Celeste forward, making him let out a surprised gasp as his back slammed into the smooth wooden wall, but it was soon followed by a long, desperate moan as Nik pressed tightly against him. "Nik, oh God," he cried, any further noises stolen away when Nik captured him in an aggressive kiss, refusing to pull away until they had to gasp for air. If Celeste wanted reprieve, he didn’t show any signs of it; chest heaving as he struggled to pull in the humid air between each fiery kiss. His nails raked across Nik’s back savagely, moaning and panting hysterically. He wrapped his legs around Nik’s waist, the Nighthunter lifting him up in the air easily as he continued to press eager kisses to the half-Fae’s face and lips. The vice-like grip of his strong muscular legs easily caused even Nik’s sturdy build to ache, but it only added to the strange allure of their building arousal as the half-Fae clung to him like the poles he danced on. As soon as Nik pulled away for air, Celeste brought his teeth to his neck and shoulders in a flash, tongue working to lap up the sanguine as soon as it appeared. The half-Fae’s inky-black hair fell over his face in tangled wet strands, his eyes glinting with cruel glee, any semblance of his previous elegance gone.

“Jesus,” Nik groaned, tightening his hold on Celeste’s thighs, his calloused hands beginning to bruise the delicate, pale skin. “You’ve been holdin’ this one close to your heart for a while, haven’t ya?” He ground his chest against Celeste’s, further crushing him against the wall, making him squeal and let go of his neck. The half-Fae laughed, a toothy grin spreading across his reddened cheeks. 

“In college, I’d dance for the seniors at their graduation parties, and I’d get boys and girls telling me they wanted it rough at the end of the night. None made it half as far as you have --” Celeste said, cut off by a sudden moan as Nik clamped his jaws around his left shoulder, returning the bites that he was receiving for the past ten minutes. “Ahh! Oh, harder!  _ Harder! _ ”

“How many boyfriends did you scare away?” Nik asked, his voice a guttural sound as he flashed Celeste a crooked grin before returning his mouth to its task. Celeste was a strange creature, one that Nik had managed to tame. 

Celeste groaned, feeling Nik’s teeth break his skin. He wasn’t going to be able to wear any chiffon or sleeveless tops for a while, but he was far from caring at this point. “Nnn… I sent Payton Lack to the hospital the night before his final management presentation,” Nik let out a little sputter against his skin, a strange laugh with teeth still sunk deep into Celeste’s shoulder. “He had to explain what happened to his group, and needless to say, he didn’t call me back.” Nik detached himself from his shoulder, still laughing. He eased his grip a little, panting and letting both himself and Celeste catch their breaths. 

“Should’ve made it into a package deal,” Nik joked, Celeste panting like a dog as his chest heaved with breathless laughter. “Final bill’s half off if you’re still alive.”

“Oh, shush up. I’m gentle when they’re paying me.” Celeste rolled his eyes, surging forward to smash his lips against Nik’s. “I save the good stuff for the ones I like.”

“Lucky me,” Nik replied. “Let’s wind down for a second, yeah? How do you want to do this?” He asked, licking his lips. 

“You’re going to fuck me good and hard and then we’re going to cuddle.” Celeste said with such a matter-of-fact vulgarity much unlike him that Nik was shocked for the briefest moment. Still, the half-Fae jerked his chin to the side where a familiar-looking bottle was sitting in the corner, tucked away behind a few jars filled with homemade body scrub. Nik set Celeste down on the bench, grabbing the little pink container of gel. It was less than a quarter full, but it would have to do. Celeste playfully crossed his legs, tapping his foot against the floor with a splash impatiently as he mocked looking at a non-existent watch on his wrist. Nik rolled his eyes as he approached. “Oh!” Celeste cried out in surprise as Nik’s large hand clasped around the back of his head, forcing it against the bench. With one hand still pressing his cheek firmly against the smooth stone, he pulled the rest of Celeste’s body up with the other so that he was lying on his belly, sweeping washcloths and soap bottles onto the floor carelessly. "Mm, God, yes…" Celeste moaned in anticipation, body shaking in a full-body shudder as he felt the oppressive weight of his partner kneeling over him. He felt the all-too-familiar slick of Nik's gel-covered fingers, growling at the vicious sting as he was filled with all of the digits that could fit all at once pushed into him as far as they could go. The next thing he knew Nik entered him fully with a thrust of his hips, still pinning him down with all of his strength, making Celeste scream in a mixture of pain and pleasure. "Yes, yes,  _ yes! _ " He cried through increasingly shallow breaths, squirming helplessly under Nik's iron grip. He brought a hand to his mouth, clamping down hard on his fingers, ragged breaths sending beads of bloody spittle flying through the steamy air. The other scrambled to find any bare skin it could touch, but it too was pinned; trapped between his own body and the wall. Nik's grunts became more frequent as he quickened his pace, gasping for breath in the thick, humid air. 

"Celeste!" Nik cried, splitting the air with a ragged moan as he thrust forward, burying himself as deep as he could go. He leaned forward, pressing himself tight against the half-Fae, releasing his grip on his head so that they could meet in a kiss. His whole body stiffened, stars dancing in his vision as he was tipped over the edge. He finally disentangled himself with an indulgent sigh, wordlessly flipping Celeste over onto his back. One hand cupped the half-Fae's face as he leaned down to kiss him roughly, and the other got to work between Celeste's legs. His skin was pinched, squeezed, and scratched all over; bruises quickly forming where Celeste kicked and bucked. If one were to ask where he got all of his wounds, he could easily say it was a rotter and no one would bat an eye. The half-Fae screwed his eyes shut, sighing Nik's name as he, too, reached his limit. 

When he opened his eyes again, they were as soft and sweet as when Nik had first arrived, as if what had taken place before was just a trance he was just broken out of. "Rook?" Nik asked. Celeste regarded him with a tiny  _ hm? _ , a sleepy smile stretching across his lips. "You kind of scare me a little bit."

"A good kind though, right?" Celeste replied with a giggle. 

"Sure," Nik chuckled. He looked up and down the half-Fae's body, still shivering; bruises and bite marks making their grisly appearance on the previously unmarred porcelain of his skin. Stroking his hair gently with one hand, Nik grabbed a nearby jar with the other. "You've been really good, Celeste. Let me take care of you for a while… just lay back and relax." He truthfully had no idea what his partner's routine was like - but he remembered vaguely that the yellowish paste in the jar was used for hair, and the fact that Celeste didn't resist or say anything as he massaged a hefty glob into his scalp must have meant he was doing something right. It smelled faintly of honey, leaving a shiny sheen as he lathered it into the delicate strands of his raven-black locks. Celeste let out a little moan as Nik rubbed his scalp, a placid smile on his face as his eyes drifted closed in comfort. He rolled onto his belly, propping his head into his arms, clearly already struggling to stay awake. It almost felt like petting a cat; like gently running a hand through soft fur as its eyes slowly slid shut, falling asleep purring up a storm. Nik cupped his hands in the air, catching a handful of warm water that he used to rinse Celeste's hair through, easing his fingers through the tangles. He moved on, soaking a washcloth and dabbing a bit of face wash onto it, running it tenderly across his cheeks and forehead, lathering until a thin layer of soap bubbles formed on his skin. "Am I doing this right?" Nik asked, wiping the soap away with the waterlogged cloth. Celeste nodded, inclining his chin so that Nik could reach the underside of his jaw and neck.

"Mmhm," Celeste murmured, pointing at a jar filled with a light brown paste with streaks of white swirling through it, ground coffee bean suspended in the semi-fluid. "There's the one you like…" Nik took a conservative fingerful at first, spreading it across his hand and kneading his fingers into Celeste's shoulders. The half-Fae let out a little sigh, cute as a button, and Nik slowly worked his way down to his upper back, lathering a larger amount into his smooth skin and dipping into the crook of his armpits to gently scrub those as well. He felt Celeste shudder slightly as his rough hands ran down the backs of his legs, rubbing in small overlapping circles. "Don't forget --  _ ohh _ ," Nik didn't forget, his hands wandering into the space between Celeste's legs. 

"We're just gettin' clean, remember?" Nik asked teasingly. His eyes softened, looking over his partner with a fondness that caused a lump of emotion to grow in his throat, spurred on by the moments of passion that they shared just a few minutes before. "Can't believe I almost lost you. I won't fail you again, Rook. I'll have your back. Always."

"And I yours," Celeste replied softly, barely audible over the running water. He forced his lips to turn up into a wide, cat-like grin as he sat up. "And I promise not to die when you're around." 

Nik scoffed, but with a grateful chuckle regardless. "Here I am, trying to have a heart-to-heart…" 

"I love you, Nik."

"I love you so much, Celeste..." Nik swept the half-Fae up in a hug that lasted a long time. When they separated, they took turns washing each other, finally exiting the bathroom dressed in the clothes they'd brought in. Celeste glanced out the window. There was a slight glow of orange on the horizon, but in reality dawn wouldn't occur in earnest for quite a while. Once they'd dressed, Celeste dragged Nik by the hand to his bed, hastily moving his art supplies to the floor. His sheets and most of his blankets got paint all over them, but it was almost laundry day anyway. They rolled onto the plush mattress together, passing out as soon as they hit the sheets and remaining in that deep slumber long after the sun began to rise.


End file.
